Nihongo noreku shiken ( . 能力 試 験 験 Nihongo no: ryoku shiken ) is an exam to determine the level of Japanese language proficiency [1] , conducted among people for whom Japanese is not a native language. The exam is held annually on the same day in all participating countries, with the exception of East Asian countries , where it is held twice a year [2] . In case of successful passing the exam, the applicant is issued a certificate of international standard, accepted by most Japanese organizations, with the exception of educational institutions. On the territory of Japan, the exam is conducted by the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Education , and outside the framework of the Japan Foundation . The summer exam is held on the first Sunday of July, and the winter exam on the first Sunday of December.
The exam is a standardized test and contains five levels of difficulty, among which the applicant can choose the one closest to his capabilities. The fifth level, the easiest, requires knowledge of a small number of lexical units, the ability to read simple sentences, while the first, most difficult, involves fluency in the language [3] .
Content
History
Nihongo Noreku Shiken was introduced in 1984 in response to the increased need for foreign citizens to officially confirm their knowledge. The first test involved about 7000 people [4] . Until 2003, to work in Japanese schools, a Nihongo Noreku Shiken certificate was required, but since 2003 they have only taken the results of a specialized exam - the Nihon Ryugaku Shiken . Since 2009, the exam is conducted twice a year: in winter and summer, but in summer only for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd levels in East Asian countries. In 2010, due to the large difference between the 3rd and 2nd levels, an additional intermediate level was introduced and there were five total levels.
Contents
The content of the exam is regulated by the Specification of the Content of the Exam ( Japanese 出 題 基準 Shutsudai Kijun ) , first published in 1994 and partially revised in 2002 . This document, with the exception of the English introduction, is entirely written in Japanese and contains lists of words, characters, expressions and grammar for each exam level. According to the Specification, the exam is held in the form of a test in which the applicant only needs to choose one of several options, writing from the applicant is not required to write anything in Japanese.
Regardless of the level, the exam consists of three parts: vocabulary and hieroglyphics, listening and understanding, reading and understanding - grammar. The maximum number of points is fixed, only the time allotted for each section differs.
Vocabulary and Hieroglyphics
This part of the exam includes an average of 35-45 questions in which the applicant is required to determine the correct character , choose the appropriate record with a katakana or hiragana , and also select the most suitable word for this sentence.
Listening and Understanding
It consists of two parts, in one of which the applicant, when answering each question, needs to select the correct picture from the four proposed ones, using the information obtained from the dialogue, the recording of which is played during the exam. The second part is similar to the first, except that there are no pictures, and the answer options are read along with the dialogue. A recording of tasks is played once and under no circumstances can be returned to previous questions.
Reading and Understanding - Grammar
Contains 20-30 questions on the grammar of the Japanese language and the same number of questions based on an understanding of sentences and texts. This may include tasks where you need to fill in the gaps in the dialogue, or answer questions related to the content.
Time Limits
The total time allotted for the exam and its shares for each part are shown in the table.
| Level | Testing Section [5] (testing time) | Total duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Language skills (vocabulary / grammar) · Reading (110 min) | Listening (60 min) | 170 min | |
| N2 | Language skills (vocabulary / grammar) · Reading (105 min) | Listening (50 min) | 155 min | |
| N3 | Knowledge of the language (dictionary) (30 min) | Knowledge of the language (grammar) ・ Reading (70 min) | Listening (40 min) | 140 min |
| N4 | Knowledge of the language (dictionary) (30 min) | Knowledge of the language (grammar) ・ Reading (60 min) | Listening (35 min) | 125 min |
| N5 | Knowledge of the language (dictionary) (25 min) | Knowledge of the language (grammar) ・ Reading (50 min) | Listening (30 min) | 105 min |
- Note: "Dictionary" includes checking of hieroglyphs and vocabulary.
Each section begins and ends simultaneously with the entire group of applicants; early transition to the next part is not allowed.
Requirements
Summary requirements for each of the levels are given in the table.
| Level | Hieroglyphs | Vocabulary | Passing score |
|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | 100 | 800 | Total: 80 out of 180 (44%) Dictionary / Grammar / Reading: 38 out of 120 (32%) Listening: 19 out of 60 (32%) |
| N4 | 300 | 1500 | Total: 90 out of 180 (50%) Dictionary / Grammar / Reading: 38 out of 120 (32%) Listening: 19 out of 60 (32%) |
| N3 | 650 | 3500 | Total: 95 out of 180 (53%) Dictionary / Grammar: 19 out of 60 (32%) Read: 19 out of 60 (32%) Listening: 19 out of 60 (32%) |
| N2 | 1000 | 6000 | Total: 90 out of 180 (50%) Dictionary / Grammar: 19 out of 60 (32%) Read: 19 out of 60 (32%) Listening: 19 out of 60 (32%) |
| N1 | 2000 | 10,000 | Total: 100 out of 180 (56%) Dictionary / Grammar: 19 out of 60 (32%) Read: 19 out of 60 (32%) Listening: 19 out of 60 (32%) |
Summary requirements for old levels (2009 and earlier) are given in the table.
| Level | Hieroglyphs | Vocabulary | Study hours | Passing score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| four | 100 | 800 | 150 | 60% |
| 3 | 300 | 1500 | 300 | 60% |
| 2 | 1000 | 6000 | 600 | 60% |
| one | 2000 | 10,000 | 900 | 70% |
For a more visual assessment of the increase in the requirements, below is a graph of the relative complexity of the exam depending on the level [6] .
As can be seen from the presented diagram, the dependence is non-linear, and if the transition from the fourth level (N5 in a new way) to the third (N4) does not require significant efforts, then to obtain the second level (N2) more than threefold increase in the degree of language proficiency is required. Therefore, starting in 2009, the system of test levels was changed by adding an intermediate level N3 between old 2 and 3. As practice shows, the majority of applicants receive a certificate of the fourth level (N5) after one year of classes and the third (N4) the next year, in while preparing for the second level exam (N2) takes more than two years.
Exam Organization
Nihongo Noreku Shiken is held twice a year on the first Sunday of July and on the first Sunday of December. Registration for the winter exam is in early September, and for the summer in early April. Those applicants who cannot personally come to the registration point and plan to send documents by mail should do this even earlier. For full-time registration, you must have a passport and two 3 × 3 photos .
The exam is paid, in Russia in 2016 the cost of the questionnaire was 100 rubles . The fee for the fifth level exam is 1500 rubles, the fourth - 1700, the third - 1900 rubles, the second - 2100 rubles, the first - 2300 rubles [7] .
On the exam, each applicant is prepared in advance a personal place marked with a number that matches the number of his voucher. During the exam, you are allowed to have only two simple pencils with you to fill out examination forms and an eraser.
Exam results are mailed. The results of the winter exam usually reach applicants in late February - early March next year, summer - in October. You can also find out the results online on the official site of the exam after about two months by entering your registration number and password, which is indicated in the voucher.
Results
| Year | Level | In Japan | Outside of japan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filed applications | Came to the exam | Passed (%) | Filed applications | Came to the exam | Passed (%) | ||
| 2007 [8] | 1 級 | 47,761 | 42 923 | 14,338 (33.4%) | 135 616 | 110 937 | 28,550 (25.7%) |
| 2 級 | 34,782 | 31 805 | 11,884 (37.4%) | 186 226 | 152,198 | 40 975 (26.9%) | |
| 3 級 | 16,808 | 15,710 | 8 664 (55.1%) | 143 252 | 113 526 | 53,806 (47.4%) | |
| 4 級 | 3 908 | 3 383 | 2 332 (68.9%) | 64 127 | 53,476 | 27,767 (51.9%) | |
| 2008 [9] | 1 級 | 52,992 | 46 953 | 18 454 (39.3%) | 138 131 | 116 271 | 38 988 (33.5%) |
| 2 級 | 41,924 | 38,040 | 16,289 (42.8%) | 187 482 | 157 142 | 58 124 (37.0%) | |
| 3 級 | 22 016 | 20 351 | 13 304 (65.4%) | 147 435 | 120 569 | 69,605 (57.7%) | |
| 4 級 | 4,524 | 3 903 | 2,765 (70.8%) | 65,877 | 55 828 | 31,227 (55.9%) | |
| 2009-1 [10] | 1 級 | 29 274 | 26,578 | 11 738 (44.2%) | 103 349 | 87 104 | 28,230 (32.4%) |
| 2 級 | 26,437 | 24,793 | 9,279 (37.4%) | 130 753 | 110 266 | 27 543 (25.0%) | |
| 2009-2 [11] | 1 級 | 46,648 | 41,998 | 12,293 (29.3%) | 137,708 | 114 725 | 26,427 (23.0%) |
| 2 級 | 36,528 | 33,807 | 12,462 (36.9%) | 176 628 | 147 328 | 41,488 (28.2%) | |
| 3 級 | 17,703 | 16 675 | 9 360 (56.1%) | 131 733 | 108 867 | 51 903 (47.7%) | |
| 4 級 | 3,212 | 2 932 | 2 155 (73.5%) | 61 995 | 53 041 | 29,529 (55.7%) | |
| 2010-1 [12] | N1 | 26,225 | 23,694 | 9,651 (40.7%) | 73 863 | 62 938 | 19,402 (30.8%) |
| N2 | 24,738 | 23 126 | 13,768 (59.5%) | 87,889 | 74 874 | 32,530 (43.4%) | |
| N3 | 6 947 | 6,280 | 3 051 (48.6%) | 42,227 | 32 100 | 12,574 (39.2%) | |
| 2010-2 [13] | N1 | 40 041 | 36,810 | 12,774 (34.7%) | 100 689 | 87 763 | 25,781 (29.4%) |
| N2 | 27 947 | 26,020 | 11 679 (44.9%) | 106 402 | 91,996 | 30,460 (33.1%) | |
| N3 | 8 363 | 7,665 | 3,501 (45.7%) | 56,236 | 45 906 | 18,883 (41.1%) | |
| N4 | 7 764 | 7 317 | 3 716 (50.8%) | 48,613 | 41,484 | 19,235 (46.4%) | |
| N5 | 2,065 | 1 870 | 1,458 (78.0%) | 43,676 | 38 128 | 22,846 (59.9%) | |
| 2011-1 [14] | N1 | 24,716 | 22,782 | 6 546 (28.7%) | 89 744 | 76,991 | 20 519 (26.7%) |
| N2 | 19 203 | 17 957 | 9,057 (50.4%) | 92 015 | 79 716 | 30,216 (37.9%) | |
| N3 | 5,642 | 5,211 | 2,511 (48.2%) | 36,841 | 29 507 | 13,230 (44.8%) | |
| N4 | 3 643 | 3 358 | 1,431 (42.6%) | 19 010 | 15 453 | 5 802 (37.5%) | |
| N5 | 716 | 649 | 464 (71.5%) | 12 346 | 10 510 | 6,108 (58.1%) | |
| 2011-2 [15] | N1 | 36,426 | 33,460 | 11,849 (35.4%) | 100 873 | 88 514 | 27,452 (31.0%) |
| N2 | 22,875 | 21,296 | 8 695 (40.8%) | 94 538 | 82 944 | 28 679 (34.6%) | |
| N3 | 8 149 | 7 580 | 3,073 (40.5%) | 49 917 | 41,655 | 16,576 (39.8%) | |
| N4 | 7 008 | 6 596 | 3 083 (46.7%) | 38,888 | 33 402 | 14,722 (44.1%) | |
| N5 | 1,603 | 1 481 | 1,045 (78.0%) | 33,245 | 29,159 | 16 986 (58.3%) | |
See also
- Nihon Ryugaku Shiken
- Bjt
Notes
- ↑ In world practice, the English translation of the exam name “The Japanese Language Proficiency Test” and the corresponding abbreviation JLPT are widespread.
- ↑ Frequently Asked Questions (Eng.) . Japan Foundation. Date of treatment December 15, 2010. Archived on February 19, 2012.
- ↑ N1-N5: Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level . Japan Foundation. Date of treatment December 15, 2010. Archived on February 19, 2012.
- ↑ Objectives and History . Japan Foundation. Date of treatment December 15, 2010. Archived on February 19, 2012.
- ↑ Composition of Test Sections and Items . The Japan Foundation. Date of treatment March 16, 2011. Archived June 3, 2012.
- ↑ Relative difficulty level calculated in accordance with the expression:
, Where , - the number of words of the i-th and first level,
, - the number of characters of the i-th and first level. - ↑ [1] on the website of the Japan Foundation in Russia
- ↑ 2007 年 結果 の 概要 実 施 国 ・ 地域 別 応 募 者 数 ・ 受 験 者 数 Archived December 28, 2009 to Wayback Machine JEES
- ↑ 2008 年 結果 の 概要 実 施 国 ・ 地域 別 応 募 者 数 ・ 受 験 者 数 Archived August 23, 2009 on Wayback Machine JEES
- ↑ 2009 年度 1 回 日本語 能力 試 験 実 施 状況 JEES
- ↑ 2009 年度 2 回 日本語 能力 試 験 実 施 状況 JEES
- ↑ Data of the test in 2010 (July) JEES
- ↑ Data of the test in 2010 (December) JEES
- ↑ Data of the test in 2011 (July) JEES
- ↑ Data of the test in 2011 (December) JEES
Links
- Official Exam Website (English) (Japanese) (Chinese)
- Page on the website of the Japan Center for Educational Exchanges (JEES) (eng .)
- Exam Locations outside of Japan
- Information about the 2011 exam in Moscow on the website of the Japanese Embassy in Russia